Cross-word puzzle



Aug. 11, 1936. R MITCHE L 2,050,498

QROSS WORD PUZZLE Filed May 18, 1953 2 Sheets-Shet 1 AGO ALLY SNAP G N LC R C N a ar/721M673? ATTORNEYS Aug. 11, 1936. R. MITCHELL cRoss WORDPUZZLE Filed May 18, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 flag. .2.

ATTO RN EYS Patented Aug. 11, 1936 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE2,050,498 CROSS-WORD PUZZLE Robert Mitchell, Detroit, Mich.

ApplicationMay 18, 1933, Serial No. 671,763 50lairns. (o1.s 35)fashioner as well as the solver of the puzzle, the

spelling and meaning of words is of importance, and since both spellingand meaning of words is essential in this type of puzzle, there is thusset up an educational benefit to the devotee of this type ofentertainment. The greater portion of cross-word fandom is found amongstthe solvers, but it is obvious that the developer of the puzzle to besolved is an important member of the devotee family.

' The puzzle itself is generally found as a printed diagram, properlykeyed by numbers placed in the key squares, so that the solver can, byreferring to the. definition table, gradually develop his puzzle byvplacing the proper. letters in the row or line headed by the key numbercorresponding to the key number. of the table. With such diagram and apencil the devotee can gradually fill up. the diagram.

-A variation of this puzzle has developed during the later years, knowngenerally as the diagra-mless puzzle. This variation differs from thegeneral form in that the diagram itself is-omitted, the definition tablealone being presented with the information as to the number of squareswhich should be contained in the diagram vertically and horizontally.Hence, the pattern of the diagram is one of the unknown factors to besolved, the result being that the puzzle becomes more difficult. Inthegeneral or diagram form the pattern itself often presents a clue tothe word meeting the definition through the number of squares. includedin the row which is to receive the Word; in the diagramless type thisclue is necessarily absent. A ruled sheet of paper will permit thedevoteeto solve this puzzle similar to the general form, but thenecessity for positioningthe key number positions renders: the puzzlemore difficult.

' While it would be possible to solve a puzzle of these types byutilizing a board having squares as a substitute for the diagram itself,and having alphabetical markers to fill in the spaces, such acombination would be of'little service in the absence of the diagram,since the key number positions would not be found on;the board, and thiswould require the presence of the diagram 5 as a check to position themarkers. Under such conditions the simpler Way of using the diagram andpencil is preferable to the solver, since it avoids the necessity forconstant reference to and checking with the diagram. However, the use ofa board of this type, together with such markers is made beneficial ifthe key number positioning can be indicated on the board; the ability touse'the board repeatedly with different puzzles, the ability to readilysub- 15 stitute markers, etc., makes such an apparatus of value. This isespecially true with respect to. the fashioner of puzzles of both-forms,and to the solver of the diagramless puzzles. The markers or indicatorsbeing shiftable and interchangeable, 2o

' they can be shifted to different points, etc., making it possible togradually develop the solution.

The ability to produce this result, however, depends upon the ability topresent key-number indications as a part of the apparatus- Obvi- 25ously, the placing of pencilled notations onthe squares of the board,while serviceable, would be impracticable where the apparatus isdesigned for continued serviceit would be necessary to erase the appliednumerals when the succeeding 30 puzzle is to be solved. Hence, theability to utilize apparatus for this purpose efficiently depends uponthe ability to present temporary key number indications as a part of thedeveloped diagram being solved. 7

The present invention is designed to meet this condition by adding tothe above apparatus-the board divided into squares, and the alphabeticalindicators-key numeral indicators which can be utilized with thealphabetical indicators ,in de- 40 veloping the completed solution uponthe board. The key markers are designed to indicate the key-numbering aswell as direction of extension of the row controlled by the numbering;also blank indicators to be. applied to idle squares are 45 included.Hence, it is possible touse the apparatus in the developing of puzzlesof this nature, as well as in the solving of them, whether they be ofthe general type or diagramlessyin fact, the apparatus will enablethe.user to discard the 50 diagram of the general form and in this way makeeach puzzle diagramless for his own solving, the distinction between thetwo forms being simply the omission of the diagram in the diagramlessform.

In addition, the invention contemplates not only the use of the usualmethod of utilizing the key numbering, but also a different form of suchnumbering by which the clues presented by the general method is morecompletely concealed.

To these and other ends, therefore, the nature of which will be morefully understood as the invention is hereinafter disclosed, saidinvention consists in the improved construction and combinations ofparts as more particularly described hereinafter, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference charactersindicate similar parts' in each of the views,-

Figure 1 is a plan view of a board on which a cross-word puzzle of thegeneral key-numbering type is shown as completed by the use of variousmarker or indicator elements comprised in the present invention; r Fig.2 is a similar view of the board presenting a completed puzzle in whichthe key-numbering is modified and applied under the teachings of thepresent disclosure;

Fig. 3 is a composite view showing, in perspective. different markers ofthe apparatus.

The term marker or indicator as used herein, refers to a block or otherform of element which is of suitable configuration and which can bereadily placed on a square of the board used. The indicators may beformed to complete the dimensions of the squares when assembled, or, aswith checkers, etc., they may occupy but a portion of the squaredimensions. I prefer the full size form, since the completed puzzle willthen cover the portion of the board utilized, but this latter is notessential, as is obvious.

The board, indicated at A, is divided into squares, and is preferably ofa size such as to provide a suificient number of squares to enable thesolution of large and complicated problems; for instance, it may have asmany as twenty-five squares horizontally and vertically, it being obviiou s that a smaller puzzle can be developed on a section of the board. 7

The alphabetical markers, indicated at B, are blocks or other forms ofelement each of which contains a letter of the alphabet. Since themarker B represents a character of an active square of the board, it mayequal the dimension of the square, if desired, or may be of smallerdimension than the square. The marker may be of card-board or othermaterial, and preferably has a distinctive color, although the color ofthe alphabetical marker is of less importance since the marker isdistinguished by the alphabetical character thereon. A number of markersfor each'letter of the alphabet are comprised within the apparatus, thespecific number being as desired; for instance, the relationship of theletters of a font of type may be utilized as a guide, the purpose beingto supply a s'ufllcient number to permit the solution of differentpuzzles. For instance, the letter A may have 35 markers; the letter B 12markers; the letter C 12 markers; the letter E 35 markers, etc.

" The key-number markers, indicated at C, are preferably half thedimensions of the markers B, assuming the latter occupy the dimensionsof the squares; if the markers B are smaller, the markers C may becorrespondingly smaller. Each marker C carries a numeral, the apparatusincluding a series of numerals l, 2, 3, etc., up to a number such aswould be included within the definition table of the puzzle; exceptingto provide for loss, the series may comprise a single marker for eachnumber.

However, the markers C are in two series, generally similar excepting asto some characteristic 10 which will serve to distinguish the twoseries. For instance, they may distinguish in color of the markers, orby difference in numeral appearance, etc. The purpose of the distinctionin series is to enable distinction as between horizontal and ver- 15tical directions of the squares of the boards. For example, as indicatedin the drawings, the markers C for service as key markers for horizontalwords have the marker colored green, while the key markers for thevertical words are colored yellow. The color of the marker carrying thenumeral will thus indicate whether the definition is found in thevertical or horizontal sections of the definition table.

These markers C are placed in squares which precede the first letter ofthe word which meets the definition of the number. For instance, in theillustrations, the markers colored green will be located in the squareto the left of the first letter of the horizontal word, while the yellowmarkers will be located in the square above the first letter of thevertical word. In Fig. 1, for instance, C indicates a green marker and Ca yellow marker.

The smaller dimensions of the markers C is designed to meet a particularcondition presented by cross-word puzzles. This can be noted byreference to Fig. 1. In a printed diagram of the particular cross-wordshown, the numbers would be, printed in the squares of the firstletters. For instance, E 3 would be found in the square of the firstletter of the word ally, while the number it would be found in thesquare with the letter s of the word conscience; these two words are onsuccessive horizontal lines, with a space present before ally andtherefore above said letter s. In carrying out the present invention,this particular space is utilized to receive the markers for these twokey numbers, the green marker I 3 occupying the upper half of the space,and indicating that the first letter of its word begins in the square tothe right, while the yellow marker with numeral l6 occupying the lowerhalf of the space indicates that the letter s of the space beneath it isthe first letter of the word defined by this number definition in thevertical column-the word 5 see. Hence, where a space precedes thebeginning of a word extending horizontally and an other word extendingvertically, that space will receive the pair of markers havingdistinguishing characteristics, as, for instance, the color of themarker, as explained. Obviously, any other desired distinguishingcharacteristic can be utilized as between the series, as long as thepair of markers thus associated will clearly indicate the particularservice it is to perform.

In the development of the diagram the advance space precedes but asingle word. For instance, in Fig. l, the vertical column at the leftcarries the beginning of horizontal words, and the keynumbers thereforewould be in the column which 70 precedes it; since the words of thiscolumn which extend vertically have their key numbers in spaces abovethe words, the column to the left carries only the key numbers forhorizontal words-the markers C would thus be used in this 75 column.Similarly, the key numbers for :the words extending vertically andwhichbegin with the upper horizontal row, would have the markersC.-colored.yellow-above the columns. Since the markers occupy but halfthe space, the apparatus preferably additionally includes markers D,similar to markers C,'but left blank, these being applied in the spacesoccupied by the single markers, to complete the square dimensions. Ob-,viously, the markers D may be omitted, if desired, but since thepreferred arrangement is to have the completed puzzle cover the usedportion of the board, such result can be obtained by the use of suchmarker D. These may be of a distinguishing color, if desired, although,for convenience, they may have the color of one of the other markers-thedrawings indicate a yellow color. 1

For'similar reasons, the apparatus may also include markers E which aresimilar in dimen-. sion to the markers B, but are left blank. Thesewould be employed to occupy spaces otherwise unoccupiedseveral of theseare shown in the column at the left in Fig. 1, as well as the column atthe top. These maybe colored similar to the markers D.

The definition table for the puzzle shown in Figure 1 is as follows:

Horizontal Vertical 4:Tall coarse grass stem 2-Seli 8-Melodies3-Against; prefix l2Past 4-Speed contest 13-Friendly associate 5Yalel4Brealr suddenly 6Football team l5Moral sense of right 7Units of forcel8As far as 8Isben characterl9Golf term 9At home -0ld soldier; colloq.10-Fixed charges 2l-Constellation 1lGhost 22-Lacerated 16-Understand.24-Footlike part 17-Oopper coin: abbr.

-Duty 0y 26South American Indian 22Plaything 27-Light brown 23United28-Stafl 24-Animals ioot 29Pronoun 25Unit of Weight In what Way 27-Also3lWas victorious 28-Decompose 32Exist 30-Very warm 34Old card game3lMoisten 0bstinate 32Undeveloped flower 36Northern bird 33Piece out37-Oease 34-Untruth 39-Caress 35-0lder --Unclothed 36-Examines accounts41'Emp10y 37-Game bird 42-Own: Scotch 38-Exorbitant interest43-Assistance 39-Bitter; comb. form 44Symbol for gold 40Nothingid-Surrounding 42-Article 49'Metal' 43Deeds 5lPart of a plant 45Compasspoin 52-Beverage 46Fish eggs 53-Musical instrument 47-Gluster 0i fibersin wool staple 54Native'metals 48-Merry 55-Catch sight of 50-AlternativeThis particular puzzle is taken from a source which includes thediagram, so that the user of the apparatus can, if desired, place theproper key-number markers in their indicated positions and then proceedwith the solving of the puzzle.

However, the puzzle without the diagram, can be readily solved as adiagramless puzzle. To illustrate briefly, with a knowledge that the puzzle is a 13x 13 square, and with the vertical table indicating 1 to 11with no break in the series, it can be understood that these occupyspaces in the top horizontal row; and since three horizontal words areincluded in this series, thus providing two breaks, it is apparent thatthe first word begins in the first column at the left, is three letterslong,fo-llowed by a space, with the next word of four letters, and thefinal word of four letters with-"a space therebetween. This then locatesthe top key markers, as well as the three horizontal markers for thefirst horizontal row. Since the succeeding vertical key number islfi-not present in the horizontal table-it is evident that this numberindicates the letter below the first space at the left; since threewords are found in the horizontal table ahead of i6 and with the saidtable also including a l5, it is evident thatth'e second horizontal rowis symmetrical to the upperrow, and that IS begins the third horizontalrow, with (6 and I1. presenting letters of this word; since l1 must bethe letter beneath the space to theright in the first horizontal row,.it is clear that the word which is defined by 15 has a length to reachto at least the position of H. As vertical 9 indicates (by itsdefinition) atwo-letter,word,'it' is clear that this word'rea'ches onespace to the right of IT, thus placing l8 as a two-letterword. As eachof these key-numberpositions is determ'ined,'t he proper markers areplaced in position. By. then solvingsome of the vertical words, the

7 position. of: other key-numbers can be readily Generally, diagramlesscross-word puzzles are 9 difficult in solution, the pattern intricate,and ofttimes the definitions obscure.v Under these conditions thepresent apparatus is of the-greatest value, since it readily permits ofchanges being made, various trials utilized, etc., until a ratherdefinite knowledge off the pattern is obtained, Q L 7 I And while theapparatus is thus beneficial to the solver, it is ofinaxir'rmm serviceto the constructor of the puzzle, Generallyfhe has formed ageneral ideaof his pattern, and can place his key-numbers in the proposed positions.In his search for words to complete the pattern the. ability to utilizethe positionable markers B is of the greatest benefit. If necessary, hecan readily vary the pattern, since the various markers enable him,to[.produce anydesired pattern e'may w sh. l l In the above description,the use of the'appa- .ratus ha been based on the general. method ofapplying the key numerals and their definitions.

' Thismethodsets up the characteristics of clues,

solving of puzzles in whichjthekey-numbering is.

by a different method 'WhiChL will now be described: 'f 7 Instead ofemploying the key-numbers on the basis of ajsingle series throughout thediagram, as in the generalfform illustrated in Fig; 1, the method newbeing' described contemplates the employment of two distinct series, onefor the horizontal rows and one 'for'the vertical rows. Each series willbe complete in itself, so that, in the solution, practically the onlyclue will be found with 'respectjlto' the fol each series; 2 verticalwould obviously not be a' clue to 2 horizontal. Because of thiscondition, it is possible to. construct cross-word puzzlesespeciallyofthe Horizontal Vertical 1Hou sehold pet I-Domestic animal 2-Veh1cle2-Reverential fear 3-Indebtedness 3Man's name (abbreviation) 4-Writtenpromise to pay 4S1 nall insect 5-Married 5'-F1sh eggs 6--Look alter6-High explosive 'I-Small bird 7-Boys name (abbreviation) 8D cssert 8-10fasten 9To locate 9Part of bird l0'lo peel Ill-Color If the diagram orpattern be known, the solution is simple, but when considered on thebasis of a diagramless puzzle, the solution is difiicult because of theparticular pattern used and the absence of clues. s v

The advantages of the presentapparatus in the solution of this puzzlecan be readily understood. The upper left cornercan be tried by thevertical, and the result inspected to determine as tohow the second andthird'rows present answers to horizontal definitions; this will show 3'and 5, thus indicating that 2 horizontal is on thetop row, but theanswer is not clear. By trial the fact that the first letter of 2horizontal is other! wise unkeyed, would be developed, and by continuedtrial, the pattern would be finally developed. In such development, theability to readily shift markers from position to position enables amore rapid solution.

One of the advantages'of the apparatus lies in the ability of more thanone person working on the solution at the same time, thus making theapparatus not only educational through the word associations developedin solving puzzles of this nature, but also affording amusement andentertainment for children and adults,

As will be understood,. the apparatus is made successful through theability to. clearly and definitely position the key-numerals on theboard without placing them as a part of the square with an alphabeticalindicator as used as in the usualdiagram. The latter plan would beimpracticable for solution when dispensing with an associated diagrambecause of the difficulty of applying the numeral to the occupiedsquare. By utilizing unoccupied squares for the key-numbers, andarranging them to be readily understandable as to meaning it is possibleto construct as well as solve cross-word puzzles with or without thepresence of the printed diagram, doing this by apparatus which is of asimple type, and which can be used indefinitely and with aconstantlymaintained interest. V I

While I have herein shown and described a preferred form of my inventionand indicated several ways in which it may be employed, it will bereadily understood that changes or modifications therein may be founddesirable-or .essential in meeting the exigencies of service or thedesires of individuals, and I therefore desire to be understood asreserving the right to make any and all such changes or modificationstherein as may be found desirable oressential insofar as the same mayfall within the spirit and scope of the invention as described in theaccompanying claims;

Having thus described said invention, what is claimed as new is: e

- 1. In the developmentand solvingof crossword puzzles, wherein definedwords are located as individual words in columnar arrangement verticallyand horizontally relatively to the squares of a diagram of juxtaposedsquares, wherein individual words of a column are spaced by one or moresquares, and wherein individual letters of words of one directionalcolumn are in interlocked arrangement with words of columns of. theother direction to permit individual letters to form letter units ofboth column directions and provide a puzzle diagram pattern of definitegrouping of words and spaces, the combination with such diagram ofsquares, of means for numerically keying the diagram spaces to locatethe defined words with the numerical key indications corresponding tothe key indications ofthe key table of definitions of the words to beemployed, said means bearing an individual numerical key indicationadapted to be located in the diagram space of. a column in immediateadvance of the 2 space intended to contain the first letter of the wordbeing keyed to thereby locate the word of a column and its keyindication on a sequence of squares of thediagram column, with thesequence greater by one than the number of let- 2 ters of the word beingkeyed, whereby the letter spaces of the pattern will be free from keyindications.

2. Means as in claim 1 characterized in that the key number indicationsare in the form of markers carrying numerals with the marker havingdimensions to permit more than one marker to visibly occupy theindication square concurrently, the key number indication marker forwords of the horizontal columns distinguishing characteristically fromsimilar markers for words of the vertical columns, whereby a key numeralindication square may contain two key indications diifering one from theother as to numerical value and each individual to the word controlledby the key with the distinguishing characteristic active to indicate thecolumnar direction to which the respective key indications pertain.

3. Means as in claim 1 characterized in that the key indications are inthe form of markers carrying numerals, the markers being arranged in twoseries in which the markers of one series distinguishescharacteristically from those of the other series otherwise thannumerically, each series carrying its numeral indications as individualto the marker and with the numerals of a series presenting anarithmetical sequence, whereby the markers of one series can serve topresent key indications for the words of one columnar direction, themarkers of the other series serving a similar purpose for words of theother columnar direction.

4. Means as in claim 1 characterized in that the key indications are inthe form of numeralbearing markers arranged in two series in which themarkers of one series distinguishes characteristically from those of theother series otherwise than numerically, each series carrying itsnumeral indications as individual to the marker and with the numerals ofa series presenting an arithmetical sequence, the dimensions of a markerbeing sufliciently less than the dimensions of a square as to permit amarker from both series to occupy and be exposed on the same square,whereby the markers of one series can serve to present key indicationsfor the words of one columnar direction, the markers of the other seriesserving a similar purpose for words of the other columnar direction, thecolumnar direction of the keyed word being indicated by 7 thedistinguishable characteristics of the markers so located.

5. Means as in claim 1 characterized in that the key indications are inthe form of markers arranged in two series distinguishingcharacteristically otherwise than numerically, each series having itsmarkers bearing an individual key numeral, the markers of one seriesserving as key markers for words of the horizontal columns while themarkers of the other series serve similarly for words of. the verticalcolumns, said markers having dimensions to permit a marker from eachseries to concurrently occupy and be

